Irish Examiner view: HSE could adopt a better position

THE HSE’s policy of denying parental leave to women who suffer a miscarriage at less than 24 weeks gestation is inhumane.

A HSE spokesperson said the service complies with Government policy on employee entitlements and leave, under various maternity and social welfare acts.

The issue has been highlighted this week by a Kerry healthcare worker who was denied bereavement leave following a stillbirth at 20 weeks. The woman worked in a hospital throughout the pandemic. She became pregnant earlier this year before she and her partner found out the pregnancy was not viable and she would have to give birth at 20 weeks.

Because she was not entitled to leave in the interim, she used her sick leave in the intervening eight weeks. However, she was told that because her pregnancy did not make it to 24 weeks, she was not entitled to any leave after he was born.